


The First Halloween Since

by makingitwork



Series: Bughead Prompts [49]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Costumes, Divorced Betty, F/M, Fluff, Getting Together, Halloween, Happy Ending, Oblivious Betty, Oblivious Jughead, One Shot, Past Relationships, bughead - Freeform, fake blood and gore, families, fluffy fluff, halloween fic, mom betty, pining Jughead, pining betty, single parent betty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 12:08:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16475291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makingitwork/pseuds/makingitwork
Summary: Single Mom Betty doesn't think she can face Halloween this year. She just wants a quiet night in with her daughter.Jughead's not so sure.





	The First Halloween Since

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween, folks! Mwahahahah 
> 
> Enjoy! x

When the doorbell rings on Halloween night, Betty is irritated. 

It's only seven pm, but she's ready for this day to be over. She and her little Mazie are just going to stay home tonight. It's her first halloween since the finalisation of the divorce and she doesn't think she can bear to go out onto the streets and see all the families. Perfect families in their perfect neighbourhood with two parents and rings on their fingers and just soaking up all the happiness. 

She doesn't want that. 

So she's in her pyjamas, with Mazie cuddled on her lap as they watch some Peppa Pig on the couch. Mazie is only five years old, so she should be inexplicably delighted by Halloween, however, Betty thinks she's picked up on her mother's feelings, because her little girl hasn't said a word about it. Betty's not sure what she'd do if she did. She doesn't want her daughter to miss out on anything- she'd fought tooth and nail for full custody and she loves Mazie more than anything in this world, but she can't stomach the thought, the twist in the gut, at walking around outside to be judged. 

Maybe she's overreacting, maybe her own mother's voice will never really get out of her head, maybe it's too soon after the divorce. Whatever the case, she doesn't want to go out tonight. So she'd made sure the hallway light was off, that the porch light was off too,  and she didn't put any pumpkins outside. It's worked a treat so far. 

* * *

 

Which is why when the doorbell rings at seven pm, she is very irritated. 

Mazie makes a little sound of curiosity, and Betty kisses her head and disentangles herself from the cocoon they've wrapped themselves in. "Let me just check who it is, sweetie," she whispers, and Mazie nods; turning back to the screen distractedly. Peppa is demanding new red shoes in an obnoxious voice. Betty shrugs on the cardigan that's hanging over the bannister and slips into some shoes as she pads down the hallway. She flips on the light and tried to pat down her hair- glad that she does have some candy for worst case scenarios just like this. The last thing she needs is her house being egged by angry preteens.  

She pulls open the door and freezes. 

The cold night air swathes around her, and she can see little kids across the street in costume. She can see pumpkins and lights and decorations everywhere, but here, on her doorstep, is...

Her front lawn is the only one on the street that's dark. The grass looks like a sea of black and the hallway spills out gold onto the top step. And there, lying on it, covered with blood, is Jughead. 

Betty falls to her knees in agony; tears welling up in her eyes. He's lying limp and lifeless on the top step; completely covered with blood with deep rips in his chest and scars underneath. She doesn't understand. She doesn't understand anything and she opens her mouth to start screaming for help when his corpse starts shaking. She stares at it uncomprehendingly, horrified and appalled, frozen with fear, watching as the corpse gets up and starts vibrating with laughter. 

When Jughead does open his eyes and sees her, he pales. "Betty!" He manages, voice still a little hoarse from laughter as he leans over to her. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding, oh my god, it's just my costume, it's fake!" He smears his fingers in the blood on his chest and brings them to his mouth. The image is violent and horrific. "It's red maypole syrup! It's fake- oh my god." He reaches out to cup her cheeks, wiping away her tears and looking so contrite that...

that Betty starts to laugh. 

He looks so completely devastated at scaring her that she sniffles and hiccups with little giggles hitching in her throat. He looks relieved at the sound, and hauls her in for a hug, rubbing up and down her back as she curls into his chest. "I'm so sorry," he whispers ardently, "it was just supposed to be a joke, I didn't think-"

"No, no," she sniffs with a watery grin, pulling away and looking over his costume. They both make to stand up and she can better take him in. "It's good," she says, "really scary." He flushes under her gaze. But he does look good. Like the very attractive victim of some horrible wolf attack. And she thinks, not for the first time, how lovely his hair looks all dark and curling, and how green his eyes are; all shiny and sincere. He reaches out a leanly muscled arm to touch her shoulder, and she admires the smooth pale hue of his skin. 

"I am really sorry," he says again, biting on his bottom lip guilty. 

She must look a state. Eyed red rimmed, hair a ratty mess, and in her pyjamas. "Don't be," she reassures. Her heart's returned to normal, and she can breathe again. It was a jolt to the system, that's all. A horrifying mental image she'll have forever, and a definite shock to the system. She shoves him a little though, as payback. He takes it eagerly. "Come in, come in," she murmurs, ushering him out of the cold. He does, and she spies a large rucksack she hadn't seen before. "What's all that? And what are you doing here, Juggie?" 

He wanders into her house easily enough, and dumps the bag on the table in the hall. "I'll come to all that, Betts," he says, waving her off as he looks around the corridor, and then moves further into the living room, and looking up the stairs. "But first, where's my Maze? Mazie!" He calls, taking a few steps up the staircase; assuming she's in her room. 

There's a predictable scream of excitement before Betty can tell Jughead that Mazie's in the den, before the little girl runs out; her curls bobbing with every skip. Jughead turns to see her, and races down the steps to scoop her up into his arms. She's squealing with joy, and doesn't even appear to notice the horrific, bloodied state of her favourite visiter. "Jay!" She hollers in delight, as he kisses her cheek and hoists her onto his hip. 

Betty warms at the sight of them together. "Mazie-May," he sighs happily, the smile on his face all soft and private in a way that Betty knows to appreciate because very few people on the planet get to witness it. "Happy Halloween." He whispers; moaning like a ghoul. 

Mazie giggles, leaning in as Jughead brushes her blonde curls out of her forehead. "Happy Halloween!" She replies dutifully, pawing at Jughead's shoulders as if trying to discern where the sweet, syrupy smell is coming from. "Are you here to watch Peppa Pig with us?" She asks; blinking her wide blue eyes up at him. 

Jughead grins and pecks her nose, before turning to look at Betty. "I'm here to do one better than that. I've got you both costumes. We're going trick or treating." He declares in a no-nonsense voice. He suddenly reminds her of the Cat in the Hat. Coming to their house on a boring night to invite some excitement back into their lives. 

Mazie gasps with delight and Betty chews on the inside of her mouth skeptically. Jughead heads over to pick up his bag and then leads them all to the kitchen where he begins to splay out its contents. He moves around Betty's house comfortably, as if he's been living there all his life. Betty likes it. He does it all one-handedly, not willing to put Mazie down. He spoils her, though, Betty thinks. He always has. Bought her gifts spontaneously, or the most recent books and toys and movies. When it had first started, Betty had thought Jughead was trying to over-compensate. Trying to make Betty feel better by wooing her kid, but she knows better now. Jughead just adores Mazie. And he adores Betty too. He'd been a rock of support after the divorce. A surprising, but not unwelcome ally. 

Everyone had been on Nick's side at first. No one had believed Betty about anything, so she'd stopped telling people. And then Jughead had appeared at her door; with chocolate and acceptance, and she'd spilled it all to him. Between tears and copious amounts of wine. The whole big ugly mess. He'd been seething with anger by the end of it. He'd believed every word she said as if she were a gospel, and the next time he'd seen Nick, he'd punched him so hard in the face it broke his nose and Jughead had fractured his wrist. 

It was the first time Betty had smiled since the divorce started. 

She hadn't known why at the time. Nick and Jug had been friends. Not very close, but nice to each other. They'd hang out from time to time due to their shared love of motorbikes, but Betty realises it now for what it actually was. Jughead's always been  _her_ ally. Not Nick's. He's always had Betty's back. Always will. 

She hates Nick so much it sometimes hurts to think about it. It's why she's so glad that Mazie doesn't look a thing like him. There's something about those dominant Cooper genes. It pumps out blonde hair and blue eyes each time without fail. Mazie looks just like her mother, only with plumper cheeks and pudgier hands. She watches as Jughead wrangles a tiny princess dress from the table top and shows it to Mazie. "I thought you could be a warrior princess," he says as she kicks her legs eagerly. "I've got you a sword in here somewhere..." he starts rifling through the bag, but his progress is slowed significantly by his one-handedness, so Betty starts helping him out. 

He beams at her so genuinely she has to look away. She produces the plastic sword, and Jughead sets down Mazie so that she can start getting into it. The dress is purple and ballgown shaped, with puffy arms and glitter everywhere. It comes with a tiara and bangles and Mazie holds all of it like it's worth more than all her other toys combined. As Mazie's laying it all out on the floor, Betty's breath hitches as she pulls out the other costume. 

It's a red dress; silky and vibrant. Only coming to about mid-thigh with a deep cut down the front. It too comes with a crown. A gold thing with green diamonds and a snake emblem. 

It's the serpent queen. 

She sets it down gently, swallowing hard. "It's the serpent queen," she whispers; touching the fabric with one finger. 

Jughead rocks on his heels across the table, nodding eagerly. "You remember!" He rejoices; pleased.

But how could she forget? "It was a game," she says, more for herself than him. "We used to play when we were kids. Over summer. You were the Serpent King, and I was Serpent Queen and-"

"Archie was the brave Knight and Veronica was the maiden we all had to rescue." He finishes cheerfully. 

She can't believe he did this. Back then, they'd all been so young. Ten years old and playing in the woods all summer. Veronica would provide them with a vast array of outfits, but Jughead would still steal his dad's old leather jacket- it would swamp his shoulders, and he'd wear a paper crown. Betty stole her mom's red dress, destroyed it with mud and got in a heap of trouble, and wore a necklace chain wrapped around her forehead, and they'd drawn little snakes on their arm in felt-tip. She can feel tears prick afresh in the corners of her eyes, and brushes them away before they fall. "I..." her bottom lip wobbles. "Juggie, I'm not sure I can," she whispers. 

He doesn't reply, and she looks up to realise that he's now crouching and helping Mazie into her shoes. Her little girl's already in the dress and waving the sword about eagerly. Jughead's helping her into a pair of purple trainers, and Betty reaches for a hairband, and she comes around to tie Mazie's hair up so it won't get tangled. After she's done, she slides the tiara into Mazie's hair, and immediately searches for her camera in one of the drawers. 

"Do I look fierce?" Mazie growls, assuming different fighting positions. 

Jughead hums, before nodding knowingly. He wipes a hand down his front, collecting his fake blood, and smears it onto the front of the dress. "There," he says with a flourish, wiping a few specks onto Mazie's cheek. "Soaked in the blood of your enemies. A true warrior." He nods approvingly. 

Mazie jumps up and down; giddy with excitement. Betty can't help but laugh as she takes a few pictures. Her daughter then runs upstairs to examine herself in the mirror, with a holler for Betty to hurry up so they can go. She turns to Jughead, who's currently rifling through the fridge for snacks. "Jug," she tries again, and he looks towards her absentmindedly and nods to indicate that he's listening. "I...I'm not sure I can- I don't think- it was a really nice thought, but-"

He closes the fridge and comes around the table to hold her arms immediately. "Betty," he whispers sincerely, and she looks up and meets his eyes warily. "I know you wanted this quiet Halloween in, but...but you deserve more than that. You having nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing to hide from. No one can say a bad word about you, and you're the best person I know." He says earnestly. "You don't need to hide from anyone or anything. You're an amazing mother, and everyone could learn a thing or two from you." He kisses her forehead, and she shivers under his touch. "If you really don't want to go," he continues quietly, rubbing up and down her arms. "I can take Mazie and have her home before it's too late. Or I can try and convince her we can go another time or-"

His acceptance is what tips her over the edge. The amount that he'll do for her. How he takes her so seriously. Like everything she says is something to be deliberated on and valued. She nods; slowly. "Okay," she says, very quietly, "okay." 

One of his fingers gets under her chin, and he tips her face up a little, smiling down at her; crooked and fond. "Okay," he echoes; eyes crinkling. "I have a crown in there too, you know. And my dad's old leather jacket. You won't be going it alone." 

That makes her feel a lot better. She watches as Jughead fishes the crown out of the bag and slides it onto his midnight locks. "A royal family," he decrees, kissing her cheek. "There's nothing better." 

* * *

 

_Family._ She repeats the word to herself whilst she's upstairs in her bedroom getting changed. The red dress fits perfectly, though it's short and revealing and sexy in all the ways she doesn't feel. But as she puts the tiara onto her head, and the snake glitters under the light, she decides she doesn't care. She can do that for one night. Suspend worry for a single night, surely. She pulls on a pair of red heels she hasn't worn for three years, and without thinking about it too much, adds a touch of red lipstick. Warily, she glances at the mirror before she heads back downstairs. It's tough to recognise the woman she sees there. Sure, she still looks tired, her hair is still a bit of a mess, but there's a confidence there and she's not sure where it came from. Her legs look long, and her body looks tight and toned. The dress is...no, not the dress,  _she_ is sexy. She has to smile, fleetingly, before heading back down. 

Jughead and Mazie are outside, and the cold nips at her skin, but the warm flush she gets from Jughead's slack-jawed gaze makes her feel significantly hotter. In more ways than one. Mazie claps gleefully. "Mommy, you look beautiful!" She squeals, waving about a little pumpkin pot to collects sweets in. Jughead really did think of everything. Betty closes the door and takes a breath, smiling. Jughead reaches out a hand for her, and she takes it. She's not sure if he's offering because it's dark, or because her heels are high, or just because, but their fingers twine together as Mazie launches them towards the gate. 

"We'll only stay out for as long as your comfortable," Jughead whispers to her, as Mazie bounds along the street excitedly, waving at everyone she passes. He squeezes Betty's hand. "You only have to be my queen for tonight," he adds in a teasing whisper; winking at her. 

Something fierce clutches her heart. "Maybe not just tonight," she says quietly; bravely. "Maybe forever." 

He stops dead in his tracks; staring at her with those wide, green eyes. She takes a steeling breath and stares back at him. They're almost the same height when she's in these heels, and he looks nervous and eager all at once. "Betty," he begins, voice croaky, and he clears it nervously. It's the first time he's looked nervous all night. "I- I mean, I've always- maybe I shouldn't be saying this, but even when you and Nick- and I shouldn't have, I know that, but I did, and you're just so-"

She kisses him. She kisses away their wasted years and her own blindness. He was right there. All along. She didn't see it, but she sees it now. Their mouths slide against each other, and his hands are hesitant, and then firm, on her waist. She remembers being ten years old and kissing him in the treehouse in Archie's backyard. He'd recoiled and stuck his tongue out at her, but then said she could do it again, you know, if she wanted. She remembers his face as he vowed to be Mazie's godfather; proud and warm, and unbearably sad all at the same time. She remembers the way he swung his fist right into Nick's face; not a thought for himself, but all for Betty. 

She remembers the way he looked on her front step. Dead and bloodied. 

The way she'd felt. Like something vital was now gone. Like some part of her heart had ascended and left her behind. 

She remembers her relief at his laughter. 

She remembers  _him._

Eventually, she has to pull away. They're in public after all, and his eager tongue and enthusiastic hands and completely dazed look are probably giving the neighbours some ideas. He tries to chase her lips for a moment, and she laughs. He makes her feel so young. "Me too," she whispers, her lipstick smudged and his pupils blown. 

He presses their foreheads together, like he can't bear any part of them not touching. "Betty," he sighs in relief, in reverence. 

"Hey! Slowpokes!" Mazie calls impatiently from up ahead. "Are you coming?" 

Betty laughs, grabbing Jughead's hand and tugging him after her. "Yes yes, we're coming," she grins. 

Jughead chuckles, shaking his head and adding: "Finally." 

**Author's Note:**

> Ghosts and ghouls helped me write this. 
> 
> Happy Halloween, lovelies. 
> 
> PS Comments are my candy, and I just came knocking at your door.


End file.
